Never, Not Ever! - by Beatrice Alemagna (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A perfect back-to-school book...with a twist! For little kids everywhere who feel anxious leaving home to go back to school.

A Kids' Indie Next Pick!

Never, Not Ever! is the instant classic from Beatrice Alemagna--a laugh-out-loud tribute to little kids everywhere who would prefer not to leave home on the first day of school.

The other animals are marching dutifully to school, but Pascaline could care less. "Never, not ever!" she declares. She's NOT going. And nothing--not even her parents pulling her by her feet--will change her mind.

She shrieks so loudly that her parents shrink down to the size of peanuts--becoming just the right size to fit snugly under Pascaline's wing. Now they can all go to school together!

In Never, Not Ever! award-winning picture book creator Beatrice Alemagna reminds us that small children need their parents to be close by . . . but not too close.

Review Quotes

"Pascaline is an adorable five-year-old bat [whose] large, shadowed eyes hold an incendiary mix of resolve, contempt, and humor. Via her signature art style, Alemagna has an uproarious time imagining what school is like in the company of one's tiny parents. First-time school-goers need their parents, hints this picture book, but only for security--and not for very long." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"What a brilliant premise." -- New York Times Book Review

"Alemagna demonstrates an uncanny knack for rendering emotional experience with line and color in this intimate and distinctive story. The spreads ignite with the warm glow of discovery." -for On A Magical Do-Nothing Day -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"An entertaining way to address the school-start jitters." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This is the perfect book to read before the first day of school. Beatrice Alemagna is able to hold onto the whimsy and wonder of childhood, a perfect blend of playfulness and sophistication. She is my favorite contemporary illustrator. Pure magic." -- Christian Robinson, Caledecott Honor Winner of Last Stop on Market Street

"Something remarkable waits in every corner of Beatrice Alemagna's world. Her work makes me feel like a child again." -- Brendan Wenzel, Caldecott-Honor Medalist for They All Saw a Cat

"An entertaining pick for the start of school." -- Horn Book Magazine